A coordinated undercover operation that spanned multiple counties led to the arrests of 16 men accused of sexually exploiting minors over the internet, according to the Nashville Police Department.
A four-day undercover operation that took place in February involved more than 150 officers from 13 law enforcement agencies. The operation was to identify, investigate and arrest alleged sexual predators believed to be communicating with children under the age of 16.
"Our focus was simple: protect our most vulnerable, our children," said Nashville Police Chief Caleb Shockley.
The operation resulted in more than 80 criminal charges for the men, including sexual exploitation of a minor, solicitation of a child by computer, attempted statutory rape and indecent liberties with a child.
Nashville police said officers posed as minors and communicated with the suspects online.
Law enforcement arrested and charged the following:
- Aaron Reshon Murphy, 33: solicitation of child by computer, dissemination of obscenity to minor, solicitation of prostitution of minor
- Adam Abraham Scanlan, 34: solicitation of child by computer
- Cody Blasiman, 24: two counts of first-degree exploitation of minor, two counts of disseminating obscenity to a minor under 13
- Daniel Mabe, 43: second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor
- Dawson Matthew Memmel, 21: solicitation of child by computer, dissemination of obscenity to minor, attempted first-degree sexual exploitation of minor
- Dennis Paul Corbett, 87: two counts of solicitation of child by computer
- Jairo Flores, 26: 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of minor
- James Onofrio, 61: second-degree sexual exploitation of minor, 10 counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of minor, carrying concealed gun, resisting public officer
- Jeremy Prashaw: disclose private images of adult, 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of minor
- John Clay Harris, 65: dissemination of obscenity to minor
- Michael Clark Williams, 76: two counts of solicitation of child by computer, two counts of attempted first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor
- Nezar Ghaleb Ghaleb, 29: solicitation of child by computer, solicitation by computer, indecent liberties with child, attempted statutory rape of a child under 15, 13 counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor
- Nicholas Lee Bryson, 35: four counts of sexual activity by a parent/custodian, fugitive (Broward, Florida) on sexual battery familial or custodial/lewd and lascivious molestation
- Raymond Hunter Robson, 64: solicitation of child by computer, dissemination of obscenity to minor
- Salvador Galaviz, 41: three counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of minor
- William Manning, 19: four counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of minor
Participating agencies included the Nashville Police Department, Nash County Sheriff’s Office, Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Rocky Mount Police Department, Sunset Beach Police Department, Fayetteville Police Department, Huntersville Police Department, Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, the Invictus Task Force, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Raleigh Police Department, the Nash County District Attorney's Office, the Nash County Magistrate's Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).
“This operation demonstrates the power of teamwork and shared commitment across jurisdictions,” said Chief Shockley. “Every one of these agencies came together with one goal — to protect children, and remove dangerous individuals from our communities.”
In announcing the arrests, law enforcement leaders urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant about their children’s online activity and to report any suspected exploitation immediately to local authorities or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children CyberTipline at www.cybertipline.org.
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